The copper smelter ‘Stack’ in Port Kembla, built in 1965, came down today at 11.16am. The smelter itself was decommissioned around 10 years ago. The Stack’s demolition had been planned and postponed for years – partly because it was thought to possibly contain asbestos; and partly, I think, because it was such a defining part of the coastal landscape that many people couldn’t imagine it gone.
Thousands of people waited for hours in various locations around ‘Port’ and Wollongong to witness the event. A siren was supposed to sound exactly 10 minutes before detonation; no siren was heard before explosives fired and the edifice started to fall.
For the first time I used a phone to document an event. So far I can see advantages and limitations through my (very limited) experience.
… [Please see my iphone video of the demolition below]
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